perience of breeding the colours together, I may say here that I have found the puppies come either a distinct black or red. "A writer in the Field some time ago said that white specimens were not uncommon, and he described these Chow-chows as useless excepting as guards or watch dogs, and said they were great cowards. It may be interesting to mention that some years since a well-known breeder and judge of Scottish terriers, residing in Scotland, was good enough to tell me of a pair of puppies which had just arrived by vessel, and which were supposed to be Esquimaux. I decided to buy them, but on arrival I saw they were crossed with something, and on examining their mouths was satisfied there was Chinese blood in them. These puppies were a very light fawn. When old enough I mated the bitch with a black dog of my own. In due course she presented me with five puppies, all jet black, but my disappointment was great on finding that not one of them possessed the special feature of the breed-a black, or rather blue-black, tongue. My first impulse was to destroy the litter, but fortunately I did not adopt this course, as in a short time I observed small black spots, which gradually increased till the tongue became the correct colour. This, however, is not always the case, and in many instances an otherwise good dog is useless for show purposes through the tongue remaining red, as at the time of birth, or only turning partially black. It will be evident from this that anyone attempting to produce these dogs should endeavour to retain the dark tongue so peculiar to their breed, a peculiarity which I believe would quickly be lost without care in breeding. Other qualities which should be aimed at are a broad forehead, nose rather broader than the Esquimaux, small erect ears, carried well forward, small black eyes, a thick coat, coarser than the Pomeranian, small round feet, the tail curled over the back, and straight hocks. "The Chow-chow is a very companionable dog, and shows great affection for his owner, though many of them have a will of their own, and are more quarrelsome with other dogs than many other of the foreign races. It is frequently thought that these and other foreign dogs require special, feeding and treatment, but I have never found it so, and mine are fed the same as my mastiffs and bloodhounds. In China, where the natives eat these dogs, they are fed largely on rice. 66 There is a short-coated variety of the Chowchow, but in this the nose is rather more pointed, and the coat resembles the under coat of the Esquimaux. Chow-chows live to a good age, and are hardy dogs, but many are carried off by distemper, from which they appear to suffer more severely than our native British breeds." From the inquiries I have made elsewhere, and from my own experience, I can endorse all that Mr. Taunton has said of the variety. Both the black and the red Chow-chows, when in full coat, are very handsome animals, in this respect comparing favourably with our native varieties-the collie, for instance. He has, however, a somewhat wild-looking appearance, and his resemblance to the quasi-domesticated dogs of the Arctic regions is somewhat against his popularity. A few years ago the mate of a trading vessel, with whom I was acquainted, brought home with him from Pekin a very handsome specimen of the Chow-chow, a black one with a lovely tail and a coat like deep pile velvet. In those days I kept more dogs than I do now, and approached the sailor with the view of purchasing the importation. He would, however, not consent to part with his favourite, for which he had formed a great attachment, for he said "there never was a more faithful dog than he." On the very first day of landing in Liverpool the mate, sailor-like, went into the town to enjoy himself, as only sea-faring men can do after a lengthened absence from home. The dog, however, got tired of the public-houses, and slipped away. was almost disconsolate at its loss. His owner However, on returning to the vessel next day, the Chowchow was the first to greet him as he stepped on deck, having found its way from the centre of the busy seaport along the docks, and to his own vessel, where he had remained until his master returned. Of course on hearing this I was more anxious than ever to secure the dog, but on making further application was informed it had been poisoned for biting a little child who was trying to pull its tail out of curl. Perhaps here it might be well to mention that, as a rule, these foreign dogs, Chinese and Esquimaux, require no special feeding. They do well on the same food as our own, and Mr. Taunton tells me that he gives his cooked paunches and stale bread. Those, however, from the Arctic regions are very fond of fish, and in some cases it is wise to give them some occasionally. None of these foreign dogs are so quarrelsome as our own varieties, especially as the terriers, though perhaps the Chowchows are more inclined to be snarly than the Esquimaux. Of course the dingoes from Australia not included in this character, they being actually wild, and are never thoroughly tamed and domesticated. |